This invention relates to the art of display-dispenser racks for maintaining in exposed view for selective dispensing, a variety of differently sized articles, and more particularly to a display-dispenser rack which accommodates for display one or more stacks of articles or packages, with different stacks containing articles or packages of different size, permitting the rack user to select an article or package such as a photographic film package or the like from the rack, with the rack selectively adjustable to accommodate differently sized articles.
A variety of different racks have in the past been evolved for displaying stacks of differently sized packages of merchandise, and such racks have been provided with means for selectively varying the capacity of the rack to accommodate differently sized merchandise as needs arise. Thus, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,674,175, issued July 4, 1972, a display-dispenser rack has been provided for storage and display of a variety of stacks of differently sized film packages, with the rack subject to adjustment to accommodate differently sized packages.
It is with display-dispenser racks of the above mentioned type that the instant invention is concerned, with a view to improving such racks to reduce their cost of production, and to improve the facility with which they may be used, and minimize maintenance requirements.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an improved display-dispenser rack serving to maintain a plurality of articles or packages of merchandise for ready view by a potential consumer, with one or more of the displayed packages subject to selective removal from the rack.
A further object of the invention is to provide a display-dispenser rack in which the articles or packages of merchandise are retained in the rack in a fashion such that only the desired number of such articles or packages intended for removal at any given time are presented in a position for removal by a user.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a display-dispenser rack in which the height of the dispensing orifice through which articles are dispensed from the rack may be selectively varied to accommodate differently sized articles or packages, or different numbers of articles or packages for simultaneous dispensing.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide a display-dispensing rack having merchandise retaining compartments which are readily adjustable in size to accommodate differently sized packages of merchandise.
A further object of the invention is to provide a display-dispenser rack in which the need for cleaning a viewing window is eliminated.
These and other objects of the invention which will become hereafter more apparent are achieved by forming a display-dispenser rack with at least one, and preferably a plurality of, vertically extending open front elongate compartments with each compartment having a rear wall, spaced side walls, and a bottom wall. In the preferred embodiment, a top wall is also provided, and a plurality of compartments are arranged in side by side orientation, with a common front plane. A flange is formed on at least one side wall of each compartment at the front thereof, with the flange extending partially along the front of the compartment to retain any articles or packages of merchandise in the compartment, but leaving a free opening so that the contents of the compartment may be readily observed. The flange does not extend down to the bottom of the compartment, thus leaving a free opening at the bottom of the front of the compartment through which an article or package may be dispensed, and preferably does not extend to the top of the compartment to leave a free opening for insertion of articles or packages into the compartment. The size of the dispensing opening is made selectively variable by means of an adjustable stop comprising a plate member having an ear which rides in a channel formed in the flange. The plate member extends down from an edge of the ear, and the stop may be positioned with the uneared portion of the plate up or down, so that the upper limits of the dispensing opening may be varied. In order to permit selective variation of the front to back depth of the compartment, a rear spacer, comprising a plate-like member is provided with a spring leg and engaging toe for securing the spacer at a selective position within the compartment. The spacer and the rear wall are both formed with discharge ramps at the lower end of the compartment to urge the gravity fed stack of packages within the compartment to a dispensing position for selective removal.
A feature of the invention resides in the formation of the rear spacer with at least a portion thereof resilient so as to permit the spacer to be snapped into position in the compartment. This is preferably accomplished by forming the spacer of a resilient material, additionally provided with a spring leg to provide desired resilience.
An additional feature of the invention resides in the selectively adjustable front stop in which a single stop member may be employed to selectively vary the dispensing opening.
A further feature of the invention resides in the utilization of a channeled flange at the front of the compartment, with the channel provided with a resilient detent serving to retain the stop member in desired position.
Another important feature of the invention resides in the fact that there is no front wall, thus eliminating the need to clean any window areas to provide a clear view of the rack contents.